New Teacher Highlight: Mrs. April Holmes

by Raymond Rodriguez

This week in the Warrior Nation, my team and I sat down with Mrs. April Holmes for this week’s New Teacher Highlight. Mrs. Holmes was born in 1980 in North Carolina. She attended East Lincoln High School, where she played softball, basketball, and ran cross country. After graduating high school, Mrs. Holmes attended the University of Florida, where she majored in sports science. 

Mrs. Holmes and her husband Frederick have been married for sixteen years. She is a mother to two boys named Cody and Titus, and in her spare time enjoys watching her boys play soccer and baseball.

Mrs. Holmes has been teaching for fifteen years, and is currently a fourth grade teacher here at Orlando Christian Prep. If you see Mrs. Holmes around the halls or with her class, make sure to stop and say hello and welcome her to OCP!

OCP Students Headed to Israel!

by Nick Bell

This winter, OCP will be sending a group of students to Israel for a student leadership conference. They will be learning about leadership, as well as doing some sightseeing. Last year, some of the same students also attended a leadership trip to Germany. These trips are offered through a company called Global Next, which is an Christian organization run by Dr. Phil Johnson dedicated to teaching leadership skills to young people. Last year, during the Germany trip he taught our students life skills and how to build a better life. This year, he is focusing on middle eastern history, Jewish conflict, and the impact of various views of Biblical prophecy.

Being selected to represent OCP for this trip is an honor. Students had to meet academic qualifications (3.5 GPA or higher) as well as have no disciplinary write-ups. Students then had to submit a minimum 500 word essay explaining who influenced them to be a leader in life and how that affects them. The students had their essays reviewed by Mrs. Jacobson and Mrs. Millett, who then narrowed down the students who would be invited.

Sophomore Jacob Brommer, who will be a first-timer on an OCP leadership trip, commented he was extremely excited to partake in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel to another country, and added that he has always wanted to see the western wall in Jerusalem. Jacob is hoping to learn more about Israel's history and learn new ways to lead in his community and make a positive impact. He is grateful for Global Next and Dr. Phil Johnson, as well as OCP, for giving him this great opportunity.

Junior Megan Soucie, who attended the trip to Germany and is also attending the Israel trip this year, commented that she was grateful for the Germany trip, where she learned about her strengths and passions. She also learned a lot of the history of Germany that she had not previously known. Regarding the upcoming trip, she says she is excited to walk where Jesus walked when he was on Earth, as well as to float in the Dead Sea. She also added she is excited to learn more about the Israeli culture, and as far as leadership aspects such as how to communicate better with people and relate to them on a more personal level. Megan would like to thank Mrs. Jacobson, Global Next, and anyone donates money or buys popcorn to support the trip.

Overall, the students attending the trip are very excited and grateful for the opportunity to experience another country and learn new leadership skills that can be applied to their lives. They are thankful to God, Global Next, and anyone involved in the process of sending them to Israel. Our students still need our help, however. They each have to raise about $3,200, so we encourage all Warriors to pitch in and help out. The students attending the trip are currently selling gourmet popcorn, and they also appreciate donations of any amount. This is a great time to show Warrior spirit in giving to a great cause! Let’s also support them with prayer: that they’ll raise the money they need, have a great experience, and safe travels. Go Warriors!

Athlete of the Week: Carlos Tavares

by Christian Smith

This week, we chose to highlight OCP student Carlos Tavarez for our athlete feature. Carlos was chosen because of his outstanding performance on the football field. 

Carlos has played football since he was five years old, having been introduced to the sport by his father, who was also a player. He came to Orlando Christian Prep in the 6th grade, and has been playing football as a Warrior since 7th grade. Carlos is a driven football player he won't stop working until the outcome he desires is reached, and is one of the most competitive players I have ever played with. Carlos is 150 lbs “soaking wet,” but still takes down his opponents, in fact he regularly conquers men on the football field who are two to three times his size. 

Carlos is an encouraging teammate to all his fellow athletes. He’s also willing to do what is best for the team -- even though he hates running the play "tiger rip," he runs the play without error. These are just a couple characteristics that make him an outstanding athlete. 

When asked about the upcoming playoffs, Carlos said, "I have the same mindset as any football player, you know? Once I step on that field, I lock in... ain't nothing stopping me from reaching my goal -- and that's getting that dub on Friday nights."

New Teacher Highlight: Miss Pittman

by Jerahmeel King

This week in the Warrior nation, we interviewed Miss Sierra Pittman, a new first grade teacher here at Orlando Christian Prep. Miss Pittman was born in 1996, and raised right here in Orlando, where she attended Eastland Christian School. 

Miss Pittman’s favorite subject in school was English, and she was also involved in speech and drama. In high school, she also played volleyball and worked on the yearbook. After high school, Miss Pittman attended the University of Central Florida, where she studied early child education. She came to teach here at OCP because she knew some of the people who worked here, and she felt this was where God wanted her.

Miss Pittman is currently engaged, and is really happy with her fiancé. In her spare time, she likes to hang out with friends and spend quality time with her fiancé. She also spends time tutoring. Please join us here at the Warrior Weekly in giving Miss Pittman a big OCP welcome!

O-Town Highlights: October 30

by Aaron Bass

It’s been another exciting week in O-Town! Our Orlando Magic basketball team faced a lot of action as they took on the Bucks and the Trail Blazers. They were unfortunate to lose both games, but they will definitely be prepared to take on the Kings and the Clippers in their upcoming games. There was no football game for UCF, as this was a bye week. They are back in action on Thursday against the Temple Owls at home. 

Last week, in nearby Bartow, FL, a terrifying knife plot was uncovered. Two middle school girls had planned to kill their classmates and intended to cause other harm, as well. Thankfully, the school staff noticed suspicious behavior and were able to get the authorities to make arrests before any dangerous and harmful activity was done. 

We have Halloween Horror Nights approaching their final days, so plan your visit now if you’re a fan of some big scares! Halloween is this week, so be sure to check out your local listings for events such as festivals and trick or treating, which will be happening all over Orlando!

Dress Code Changes

by Christian Smith

Various changes were made to the dress code at Orlando Christian Prep this year. The most notable change has been regarding outerwear. Some may say last year’s dress code was more open, but that caused some problems. For example, OCP students previously were allowed to wear any of several solid-colored hoodies, with only a small logo being acceptable. That policy, however, was abused by many students. Currently, only official OCP outerwear is allowed, which can be purchased from Dennis Uniforms or the brand new Warrior Wear spirit store located in the gym lobby.

Mrs. Jacobson has updated this, along with other dress code rules, many of which turned in the students’ favor. She changed the “Dickies and Dennis only” rule to allow for any brand of pants or shorts. OCP student Nick Bell said, “I like how I am able to shop at different stores for different brands.”

Another rule that changed is the one regarding tattoos. Last year, student tattoos had to be covered, while some teachers and staff had theirs showing. Mrs. Jacobson recognized this inconsistency and changed the tattoo policy. Students may now have tattoos, so long as they are not deemed inappropriate, in which case they must remain covered. 

Dress code changes were made in an attempt to better this school and provide fairness and consistency. While some students may not be in favor of the outerwear change, they must admit the other changes have been positive. Dress code is important because it helps keep people in line and remove distractions from the learning environment. If OCP didn't have a dress code, standards would be hard to define, and it could be difficult to uphold our Christian reputation. It is important to represent a Christian school as such, as well as show school spirit in general.

The cool weather is coming, so get your Warrior hoodie today!

Basketball Tryouts!

by Raymond Rodriguez

Orlando Christian Prep’s fall sports are coming to an end, so it’s about time for our winter sports to begin. One of those sports is, of course, boys' basketball! OCP has a fine tradition of outstanding basketball, having just won two state championships in a row, along with several others in the past. The Warriors have also been home to some fine players. Nassir Little is currently playing division one basketball at the University of North Carolina, who are recent National Champions. As an OCP senior, Nassir played in both the McDonald’s All American Game and the Jordan Brand Classic Game, winning the MVP honor for each. Ronaldo Segu, another former Warrior, is playing division one ball for the University of Buffalo.

With the recent loss of seniors Nassir Little, Ronaldo Segu, Jordan Goodson, Dejuan Lockett, Jordan Rodriguez, and Kai Jones, along with several other players, many spots have opened up on our varsity basketball team, which is a great opportunity for students wanting to play basketball at OCP. Head Coach Treig Burke will be hosting tryouts on November 5th and 6th, from 5:30-7:00pm for all Juniors and Seniors, and 7:00-8:30pm for all Freshman and Sophomores. 

Coach Thomas believes that this upcoming season will be a great one, with all the new students he’s met so far. And despite the fact that the players before them left big shoes to fill, he can’t wait for tryouts and is looking forward to coaching these new players this season, continuing OCP's great basketball legacy.

Sports Re-Cap: October 25

by Aaron Bass & Jerahmeel King

It's been a great couple weeks for OCP. On Monday, October 18, The Varsity Volleyball Team were able to defeat the higher-ranked Mt. Dora team in their first playoff game, advancing the newly-energized underdog team to the next round. This was an outstanding result for our warrior girls, and an upset for Mt. Dora. OCP were unfortunate to lose their next match against Foundation in a tough game that went the full five sets. We are extremely proud of our Warriors for a hard fought and good season! 

On the 18th, our Middle School Football Team defeated Foundation Academy with a score of 24-8 to clench the Championship Title. This was the first playoff appearance and the first championship for OCP middle school football.

The Varsity Football Team faced a strong Kingdom Prep on Friday 19th, who opened the score 6-0 with a quick touchdown against the Warriors. The Warriors showed heart and came back, dominating the scoreline and taking the win at 44-14! This is a bye week this week for 2nd-ranked OCP. Join us as they begin the playoffs with a home game on November 2nd.

The 4th/5th grade Volleyball Team played in the playoffs tournament at Faith Christian. The Warriors had a great day and finished 2nd overall!

Our Quiz Team played against University and Cypress Creek on Monday. They were unsuccessful in their attempts to come out with the wins, but they fought extremely hard and never gave up! Both times it was anybody's game at the half, and the OCP/University game stayed close right up to the last couple questions. The final scores were 170-125 against Cypress Creek and 190-160 against University. The Quiz Team plays in a tournament this Saturday, and will have another regular-season match at home on November 5th.

O-Town Highlights: October 25

by Nick Bell

It's been another great week in the books here in the city, which brings us even more events to report. 

The Orlando Magic started off their season strong with a 104-101 win against the Miami Heat. Two days later they took a tough loss against the Charlotte Hornets, as well as the following night against the Philadelphia 76ers. They bounced back against a very talented Boston Celtics team by a score of 93-90 in a game filled with very good defense. Thursday night, the Magic suffered a tough loss against the Trailblazers. Damian Lillard was dominant in this game, scoring 34 points in the second half and leaving the Magic little chance to win. The final score was 128-114. The Magic will look for redemption as they take on the Bucks on Saturday in Milwaukee.

The UCF Knights took on East Carolina without starting QB Mckenzie Milton. They started freshman Daryl Mack, who did a good job filling in. UCF won, with a strong game from the defense, and a final score of 38-10. The Knights continued their streak of winning games, and they are currently 7-0 this season. They play Temple on Thursday at home, so if you are attending the game look to be loud!

All the theme parks still have Halloween events going on, but not for much longer. So, if you are wanting to go get a last minute scare, you're running out of time! Halloween is this Wednesday, so be safe while you're out getting lots of candy with your friends and family. 

The end of October is coming, and before long it will be Thanksgiving, so enjoy your week in the City Beautiful.

Athlete of the Week: Xavier Weaver

by Raymond Rodriguez

This week in the Warrior Nation, we sat down with another player of the week: Xavier Weaver. Xavier, who goes by "Zay" to his friends, is a senior and a wide receiver for our varsity football team. 

Xavier has loved football his entire life. He started playing flag football at the age of five, moving to tackle football at the age of seven. Zay came to OCP in the eighth grade and joined the varsity football team his freshman year. Xavier’s impressive stats for the 2017 season include 18 carries, 105 rushing yards, 3 rushing touchdowns, 43 receptions, 929 receiving yards, and 11 receiving touchdowns. Some 2018 season stats include 5 carries for 82 rushing yards and 1 rushing touchdown, 26 receptions, 399 receiving yards and 6 receiving touchdowns. Xavier holds OCP school records for the most receiving yards in a single season, as well as the most receiving yards in a single game. 

After graduation this spring, Xavier is committed to attend the University of South Florida. Make sure to congratulate Zay on his commitment to USF and on all of his accomplishments.